10 Plumbing Tools Every Homeowner Should Have

Even if you are not an expert plumber, there are some minor plumbing problems that you can deal with on your own as long as you have the right tools.

Get some handy plumbing tools you can trust and keep them around the house to take care of simple plumbing issues in your home.

You don’t have to call an expert plumber all the time. Easy-to-fix problems such as leaky pipes, slow or clogged drains can be handled by you.

Just make sure you have the right tools at home. According to Virginia Tech: Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 76% of homeowners repaired pinhole leaks by replacing the pipe, using a clamp.

Here are the top 10 plumbing tools you’ll ever need:

1. Plunger

Bear in mind that plungers can come in a variety of styles and sizes. So you should know what kind to purchase for different types of plumbing needs.

What plungers have in common is the general design: a rubber cup attached to what is usually a wooden shaft that serves as a handle.

Sink plungers generally look like a ball that’s simply been cut in half while toilet plungers are somewhat mushroom-shaped.

2. Pipe Wrench

While perhaps not as commonly owned, the pipe wrench is the classic plumbing tool that comes to mind for most people when they think of “plumbing.”

Mostly considered a must-have for any plumber and homeowner, a pipe wrench allow gripping around objects of a wide variety of shapes and sizes — thanks to its adjustable design.

As the name suggests, they are usually used to secure or remove pipes.

There are a variety of pipe wrenches used for tightening and loosening fittings. Some are specifically used for tightening bigger parts of pipe basin while basin wrenches are used for tightening and loosening bolts in more complicated areas.

3. Pliers

As a homeowner, you sure need a plier.

While normal pliers can be used for plumbing repairs and even be interchangeably used with wrenches in certain situations, plumbing pliers are usually highly adjustable and have an irregular clamp shape.

Such a design allows for better gripping on rounded objects such as piping, naturally.

4. Drain Snake

Possibly the least known plumbing tool and maybe even the most intimidating, drain snakes are fairly straightforward to operate and can be very useful in solving what may appear to be major plumbing issues without enlisting professional assistance.

Thanks to its rigid yet flexible design with an auger at the end. Drain snakes can remove tougher clogs when plungers can’t get the job done.

They can be pushed and navigated through piping with relative ease to otherwise hard-to-reach places.

Like plungers, drain snakes can be useful in a variety of situations ranging from toilets to bathtub drains. While they tend to be the most expensive tool on this list, they can arguably also prove to be the best investment.

Teflon Tape

Also called thread seal tape or plumber’s tape, Teflon tape is used to secure pipe leakages.

They are commonly applied to the pipe’s threading to provide an effective sealing surface when connecting piping together. Think of it like the duct tape of the plumbing world.

6. Pipe Cutter

Popularly used by plumbers, a homeowner can use this Cutter to easily cut copper water lines. Simply open the tool’s mouth, place the copper pipe in the mouth, and then tighten the cutting disc on the pipe’s surface.

Do you want to know how a plumber would use it?

Here: to slice the pipe, the plumber will turn the tool around the pipe repeatedly. Once it slices through the pipe, a clean-cut remains which is ready to be sanded and soldered.

7. Leaks detection tool

Leaks are common problems faced by homeowners. It’s irritating and troublesome to deal with. At times, it’s difficult to locate the leak. Even though a professional plumber can help you with this problem, you too can fix it.

A plumber uses the leak detection tool to locate the leak. Once the tool detects the leak, the plumber will receive an alert.

Then he will take the necessary action to repair the leak. In case of serious leak issues, the plumber will discuss the possible repercussions with you before taking any action.

Tongue-and-groove pliers

Unlike the Pipe Wrenches, tongue-and-groove pliers can serve various roles in your plumbing system repair.

Most especially in your pump. You’re aware that private houses and buildings usually have well pumps and sump pumps. The latter is powered by either gas or electric power.

The usual pump issues include loss of power, bad smells, water overflow or water not getting discharged from the pump.

In all these instances, the tongue-and-groove pliers can help you grip pipes and connectors properly as you treat your tricky sump pumps.

If you decide to bring in a plumber, then they would need certain details when you need to repair your well pump such as well depth, water level and the diameter of the well.

9. Tubing Cutter

As a homeowner, you can use a Tubing cutter to achieve a clean or precise cut in copper tubing. Pipe cutters use a sharp wheel which spins around a copper pipe and then embeds in the metal. Joints and fittings are sealed when the pipes have been cut.

Sealants

Plumbers use different types of sealants. A plumber’s tape is used on the threads of plumbing pipes and other types of plumbing connections. The type they use depends on the type of repair job.

Homeowners usually face problems with such systems every now and then. If you can’t deal with it, then you should seek the assistance of an expert plumber.

Bonus plumbing tool:

Compression sleeve puller

Compression angle stops or shutoff valves are prominent in houses where there is copper, CPVC tuber, or PEX. These valves are responsible for supplying water to your faucets, toilets, and even your bathtubs.

You can easily unscrew the angle stop when you hold the valve with pliers. Pipe wrench also helps.

The compression sleeve puller will help you to remove the compression nuts without damaging the pipe in the process.

Conclusion

As you can see, investing in just a few plumbing tools and learning how to use them can save you on potential costs and headaches that may come with hiring a plumber.

With a little practice, many common household plumbing mishaps can be quickly and easily resolved on your own.

Bear in mind, though, that when you run into muddy waters or you perceive the issue is beyond your knowledge, get help from a plumbing company or call a plumber like Anta Plumbing.